Time
by Epona64
Summary: Kaepora Gaebora knew many stories--helped to write many of them--but the legend that would remain in his mind for all of his infinite years was that of the Hero of Time.


His life had been long and hard, but it always revolved around one thing—Time.

He had seen the rise and fall of kings, the triumph of heroes, mindless destruction and loving kindness. Yes, Kaepora Gaebora had seen a great many things in his long life; some things he adored, others he abhorred.

Time ticked past him constantly, not bothering to glance at the wise owl who was watching, always watching as the years passed, centuries flew by. Kaepora had lost track of his age long ago, but Time had always kept it for him, whispering is in his ear occasionally or reminding him when he stretched his always stiff wings and a cascade of feathers toppled from his wide arms.

But Time was a loving keeper, never harsh in its judgment, always kind to the good. Gaebora had oft times wondered why Time had chosen him as its vessel, why it chose him to watch the world grow and decay.

Kaepora was one of the few who could see the always swirling currents of Time, wrapping and twisting in thin tendrils around everything. He could see the taut ropes of Time surrounding the young, and the frayed yarn of Time bracing the old.

Even the dead had Time surrounding them, a thin veil telling their stories, depicting their life whether good or bad. Gaebora had spent much time in the Kakariko Graveyard, reading the lives of the ones buried there. The occasional Poe or ReDead also told interesting stories; tales of woe and despair—the fates of those poor souls lost to the light for all of eternity.

Time also allowed Kaepora a small view into people's souls. He could see what they have done clearly, but by tracing the patterned Time traced in its eternal swirling around individuals, Time's Servant could get a glimpse of their possible future.

Reading stories of Time, Gaebora had learned many things about man. He had heard all the legends, all the tales ever told, all of them stored within his great mind. The owl knew many stories—even helped to write many of them—but the legend that would remain in his mind for all of his infinite years was that of the Hero of Time.

Kaepora Gaebora was fond of Time watching, he would perch on a branch and watch the invisible river flow beneath him, moving with a steady grace, and occasionally a deadly chaos. Gaebora had always been the one to watch, rarely interfering; he would watch countless tales unfold before him, watch as ruthless criminals were executed, watch when countless innocents were slaughtered.

Such was the case with the Great War.

Kaepora watched man murder man, each one hungry for the power of the Goddesses, the holy Triforce nestled serenely in the Sacred Realm. He had stood back and watched as a small village was invaded, almost every person living there becoming nothing but bloodless corpses.

One of the mighty knights of Hyrule kept his family in that village, and was killed protecting his wife and only son. Gaebora watched as the man fell to the beasts, watched as the mother held her child close and began to flee.

Yet, when the mother fell as well, the ever-present owl caught sight of the child she carried. Something in the way Time swirled about him told Gaebora that he was destined for great things.

The giant bird had chased the invaders away, noticing how the Time around them was torn, hanging loosely around their bodies. The mother was fatally wounded, still clutching weakly to her crying child. Kaepora escorted her gently to the forest of the Kokiri, a sacred place where even he—Time's servant was forbidden to enter.

Kaepora Gaebora knew that the Great Deku Tree would be able to care for the orphan boy, to keep him alive until the destiny written in the Time surrounding him could be fulfilled. He knew that there was nothing more he could to for the child, not until it was time for the boy to rise up and meet his fate.

So, the great owl left, wandering the lands for more than a decade, seeing many things, hearing even more. There was evil stirring in the west, evil that would grow with time. Perhaps… Perhaps this was what the fabric of Time encasing the boy had been pointing too; perhaps the young orphan was destined to strike down the Devil of the Desert.

Chancing upon the wide fields of Hyrule, Kaepora saw the small child emerge from his forest haven, a small fairy floating in front of him and an ocarina in his hand. Surely, it was far too soon for the boy to be called to action—he hadn't even seen fifteen years—he was too young, wasn't he?

Gaebora wondered if, for the first time in his many years, he had misread a mortal's Time. It seemed that way, to be sure, and yet… The child seemed older somehow, and the owl could see the potential in the Time wisping around him, the courage dwelling within his body.

But the boy was also weak in many ways, he was small, young alone and naïve—there was no way, Kaepora Gaebora decided, that the child could live up to the Time's expectations on his own.

So the owl helped to guide the boy to the two great tribes of Hyrule and to obtain the three mystical crystals needed to gain entry to the sacred chamber holding the power the evil so fervently desired.

Though, once the artifacts were collected, the boy vanished, and evil overtook the land. Kaepora believed that the Evil King had murdered the young hero, and had taken the items himself to obtain the all-powerful Triforce.

Gaebora fled the cursed land—where anyone who dared offer resistance to the Dark Lord was executed—going elsewhere to watch the river of Time flow by, to wonder why it ignored him so lovingly.

Seven years, it had been, the number would forever be imprinted in the owl's catacomb of memories. He had heard tales of a man rising to challenge the Demon Lord. He wore the green of fields and always carried a small, violet Ocarina with him—using it to fly from past to present and back again.

They were calling him the Hero of Time.

Kaepora had scoffed when he heard the title; Time needed no hero, it would continue to flow and pass no matter what calamity came to the lands. But, the ever-curious owl returned to the forsaken land of Hyrule, if only to see the man who dared to think he could control Time's unimaginable girth.

Kaepora Gaebora watched as the hero emerged, tired but victorious, from the dreaded temple of the lake. Gaebora followed him to the condemned Castle Town—animated corpses stalking the cityscape—into the sacred Temple of Time. He watched as the man returned the Master Sword back to its ancient resting place, Time warping and twisting around his form, smothering him into oblivion.

Kaepora had waited, awe-struck for days, resting in the protective walls of his Master's temple. Again, a disturbance in the fabric of Time, and the man was back. The owl realized that this must be the boy he had thought dead all those years ago, returned and slowly making his way to the Dark Lord's domain. Time, the caring Master that it was, had saved him, helping to give the boy the power and weapon needed to be the downfall of evil.

Time obeyed this man, and Kaepora Gaebora obeyed Time.

Kaepora followed the Hero of Time to the no-man's-land of the Desert of Death. The man entered the Temple of Spirit—a deadly place, plagued by monsters and demons, a sort of place where no one should emerge alive—and came out breathing heavily, but unscathed.

Gaebora watched as the man took on the Dark Lord, sealing him away in the Sacred Realm with the help of the sages and Time. Very few people know Kaepora Gaebora's role in Hyrule's salvation. The owl didn't mind though, as he was never fond of being in the center of attention.

Even after the Hero of Time was gone, Kaepora lived, remembering the legends from long ago, passing them on to each generation, never forgetting his eternal loyalty to the Hero. If the Hero of Time or his ancestors ever found themselves in a time of need, the great owl would be there.

Until that day came, Kaepora Gaebora would watch the kingdom grow, change, suffer, rejoice; he would be there for it all, watching as good owls do, watching the arms on the clock tick, the flow of Time never disrupted.


End file.
